Single control for full feature timer



Aug. 17, 1965 T. F. RING ETAL SINGLE CONTROL FOR FULL FEATURE TIMER 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1961 AUTO 1 on on AUTO mum Anew/Er Aug. 17,1965 T. F. RING ETAL SINGLE CONTROL FOR FULL FEATURE TIMER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 7, 1961 moms f. P/NG PAL/W c. Poe/Mm Ti MagsArman 5y United States Patent 3 200 577 SINGLE CONTROL FOR FULL FEATURETIMER Thomas F. Ring, Ralph C. Robinson, and Raymond A.

Keane, all of Athens, 62., assignors to General Time This inventionrelates to clock timers and concerns more particularly a controlarrangement for a full feature timer.

A full feature timer is a switch controlling clock which incud-es asettable alarm, a function control having a switch ON, switch OFF, AUTOand AUTO-ALARM positions, a sleep mechanism affording delayed opera tionof the switch, and a drowse mechanism which permits temporaryinterruption of the alarm signal for a short drowse period. Such timersare most commonly utilized in clock radios wherein the timer switchoperates the radio. It will be appreciated however that such timers aresuited for many uses and can be employed to control virtually anyelectrically operated device.

A particular full feature timer is fully illustrated and described incopending application Serial No. 105,947, filed April 27, 1 961, nowPatent No. 3,109,280, issued November 5, 1963, which is assigned to theassignee of the present invention. The control illustrated and claimedherein has been described for convenience as arranged to control a timerof the type shown in the aforementioned application.

It is the primary aim of the present invention to provide a one-operatorcontrol arrangement for a full feature timer. That is, to provide asingle control for selecting the timer function desired, controlling thesleep mechanism, and operating the drowse mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a linear, or push button,operating mechanism for a positionable shaft which permits selectivesetting of the shaft to predetermined positions as well as return-of theshaft to its starting position at any time.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following detailed description and upon reference to thedrawings, in which:

.FIGURE 1 shows the dial face of a timer embodying a control constructedin accordance with the present invention;

. FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective, taken from the lower front, of aportion of the mechanism embodied in the timer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective, taken from the upper rear, of thecontrol of FIG. 1 which is arranged .to operate the mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is-an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the controlshown in FIG. 3 and, to better illustrate the parts, this sectionis'taken approximately along the broken line 44 of FIG. 6;

-FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section along the lines 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sections taken approximately along the.line 6-6 in FIG. 4 and showing the parts in alternate positions.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferredembodiment, it will be understood that we do not intend to limit theinvention to that embodiment. On the contrary, we intend to cover allalternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Turningfirst to FIG. 1, there is shown a timer 10 constructed inaccordance with the invention and includtaken approximately ing a dialface 11 hearing the usual 12-hour clock face indicia. A shaft and sleevestack 12 supports the conventional set of hands including a second hand13, a minute hand 14, an hour hand 15 and an alarm indicating hand 16.The stack 12 is driven by a synchronous motor (not shown) through aconventional timing train so that the hands sweep across the dial face11 in the usual manner.

The timer 10 is a full feature timer and includes a function shaft 17,asleep shaft 18 and a push button slide 19, which control the operationof an audible alarm and an electrical switch. In FIG. 2, a portion ofthe alarm vibrator 21 and a portion of the switch operator 22 are shown.In a typical application, the timer 10 could be embodied in aclock-radio, with the electrical switch being used to turn the radio onand off. As is conventional in such applications, rotation of the sleepshaft 18 from a neutral position operates the timer switch so as to turnon a radio for a period determined by the time required to drive theshaft 18 back to its neutral position. When the neutral position isreached, the radio goes off automatically. The duration of the sleepperiod is thus determined by the angle through which the sleep shaft ismanually set.

As is also well known, rotation of the function shaft 17 selects themode of operation desired of the timer 10. In the OFF position, thetimer switch and alarm remain inoperative. In the ON position, theelectrical switch is closed so that the associated radio or other deviceis turned on. In the AUTO position, the timer switch is closed at thetime indicated by the alarm indicating handlfi. In the AUTO-ALARMposition, the

timer switch is not only closed at the time indicated by the alarmindicating hand 16 but, in addition, the audible alarm is soundedfollowing a delay period of perhaps 10 minutes from the closing of thetimer switch.

Again with reference to the typical clock radio application of the timer10, the AUTO position enables the user of the timer 10 to have the radiocome on at a selected hour in the morning, or, by setting the shaft.

17 in the AUTO-ALARM position, have the radio come on to be followedsome ten minutes later by the sounding of the vibrator alarm.

To round out the full featuresembodied in the timer 10, the push buttonslide 19 control-s a drowse function. That is, upon manual shifting ofthe slide 19 while the audible alarm is sounding, the alarm is turnedoff for a short period of time following which the alarm again sounds.

While the above described structures and modes of operation have becomeconventional in the art, it will be appreciated that mechanisms foraccomplishing these results, either proposed or actually adopted, differin detail. The present invention concern manipulation of the standardtimer controls, i.e., the function shaft 17, the sleep shaft 18 and thedrowse push button slide 19,

and how these controls accomplish their task is beyond The timer 10includes front and rear frame plates 26.

and 27, respectively (see FIG. 2), and, in addition, a control plate 28is mounted in closely spaced relation to the front frame plate 26 (seeFIGS. 3 and 4). The con- '3 t-rol plate 28 carries the dial face 11 andthe operating mechanism to which later reference will be made.

A function lever 30 is mounted on a shaft 31 that is j-ournalled in thefront and rear frame plates 26, 27.L

The function lever contnols the audible alarm through a controller rod32 which is pivoted at 33- in the rear frame plate 27 and has. itsforward end received in an L-shaped latch slot 34 formed in the frontframe plate 26. The center portion of the control rod 32 passes througha cam slot 35 in the function lever 30 and the rear end of the rod isadapted to engage, and thus silence, the alarm vibrator 21.

In the position of the parts illustrated in FIG. 2, the alarm issilenced with the control rod 32 being latched in the slot 34 with itsrear end firmly engaging the alarm vibrator 21. -Upon counterclockwisemovement of the function lever 30, a camming surface 36 forming aportion of the cam slot 35 engages the control rod so as to free the endof the rod in the latch slot 34 and thus al-' low the rod to swing awayfrom the vibrator 21. As' soon as the vibrator is released it beginssounding an erator 22 is normally biased by an arm 41 on a switchcontrol lever 42 that is mounted on a shaft 43 and urged in acounterclockwise direction by a torsion spring 44. The timer switchcontrolled by the operator 22 is normally closed'but the biased controllever 42, through the arm 41, holds the operator 22 and thus theassociated switch in its operated, switch-open condition.

To enable the function lever 30 to control the switch,

a one-way connection between the function lever and the switch controllever 42 is established by a finger portion 46 ofthe function lever 30and a pin 47 secured to the switch control lever 42. of the functionlever 30, as seen in FIG. 2, thus swings the switch control lever 42against the bias of the spring 44 so as to lift the arm 41 from theswitch operator 22, thereby allowing the switch to close.

The function lever 30 has three distinct positions. In the firstposition, the full clockwise position illustrated in FIG. 2, the alarmis silenced and the switch is held in the OFF condition by the switchcontrol lever 42.

In the second position of the function lever 30, one stepcounterclockwise from the FIG. 2 illustrated position, the finger 46swings the switch control lever 42 sufficiently far to release theoperator 22 and allow the timer switch to close. However, the camsurface 36 does not yet engage the controller rod 32 so that the alarmvibrator 21 remains silenced.

In the third position of the function lever 30, the fullcounterclockwise position of the lever, the timer switchremains closedand the controller rod 32 is released in the latch slot 34 so that thealarm is sounded.

The function shaft 17 controls the function lever 30 through a camdriver 51 mounted on an arm 52 secured to the function shaft17. Thedriver 51 is received within a cam slot 53 formed in the function lever30. The function shaft 17 has four angular settings indicated by thedashedli-nes 54, 55, 56 and 57 in FIG. 2 which correspond to the fourfunctions of the timer 10. Swinging the function lever 17counterclockwise so as to dispose the arm 52 along'the line 54, the camdriver 51 is received within a relatively wide portion of the cam slot53'which permits the function lever to move between all three of itsabove described positions. This-is the AUTO-- ALARM position of thefunction lever 17.

With the arm 52 alined with the dashed line 55, the driver 51 enters anarrowed portion ofthe slot 53 which is shaped toforce the functionlever 30 to the position illustrated in FIG. 2. This is the OFF positionof the counterclockwise movement 4. function lever, with both the alarmsilenced and the timer switch held open.

Swinging the function lever 17 so that the arm 52 alines with the dashedline 56 disposes the cam driver 51 in another narrow portion of the camslot 53 which forces the function lever to its second above-describedposition. This is the ON'position wherein the timer switch is closed andthe alarm held silenced.

With the function lever 17 swung to its fourth position, thatillustrated in FIG. 2 with the arm 52 in alinement with the dashed line57, the cam driver 51 is disposed in a wider portion of the cam slot 53that allows the function lever 32 to swing between its first and itssecond positions. This is the AUTO position of the function shaft whichpermits the function lever to swing sufficiently far to close the timerswitch while not afiiecting the audible alarm.

For swinging the function lever at a desired timer determined moment, ashift lever 60 is slidably and tiltably mounted on therear frame plate27 through a pin 61 that is rigidly secured at 62 to the shift lever 60and loosely anchored in a slot 63 formed in the rear frame plate. ASpring 64 biases the lower end of a slot 65 formed in the shift lever 60against a stepped projection 66 which is rigidly mounted on the frontframe plate 26. V

The project 66 is formed with three adjacent steps 1 against which theslot 65 can rest. In the first, or lowermost position of the shift lever60, the pin 61 clears the function lever 30 and allows the biased switchcontrol lever 42 to swing the function lever to its above-describedfirst position.

Tilting the shift lever inwardly from the front frame plate 26 causesthe slot to slip from thefirst step so that the shift lever is snapped.upwardly by the spring 64 with the end of the slot 65 resting on thesecond step of the projection 66. In this position, the shift lever pin61 pulls'the function lever 30 to its second position, wherein theswitch operator 22 is operated to close the timer switch while the alarmvibrator 21 remains silenced.

. Further inward movement of the shift'lever 60 causes the slot 65 toslip from the second step of the projection 66 and the shift lever issnapped upwardly by the spring 64 so that the shift lever assumes itsthird or topmost poistion. In this position, the shift lever pin 61pulls the function lever 30 into its third position wherein the timerswitch remains closed and the alarm vibrator 21 released for soundingthe audible alarm.

\ In the above description of the stepping of the shift lever 60 and thesuccessive positioning of the function lever 30 it has been assumed, ofcourse, that the function shaft 17 had been rotated to theAUTO-ALARMposition with the arm 52 alined with the dashed line 54 and thattherefore there was sufficient clearance between the cam driver 51 andthe edges of the cam slot 53: to permit movement of the-function leverthrough its full range of three positions. Should the function shaft 17be positioned so that the cam driver 51 limits move ment of the functionlever 36, then the shift lever 60 simply moves through an idle sequencewith the pin 61 suspending the shaft lever on the stationary functionlever 7 against the biasing force ofv the spring'64.

, movement of the gears engages a set of ridges 67 on the;

shift lever 60 so as to successively urge the slot 65 from the steps ofthe projection 66. I v To provide a 'drowse function, a drowse cam 70.

is loosely journalled on the pin 62 and provided with a cam pin 71 whichrides in an arcuate cam slot 72 having a dropoff 73 formed in the shiftlever 60. The drowse cam 70 is biased by a torsion spring 74 clockwisein FIG. 2 to a start position established by engagement of the cam pin71 with the, righthand end of the slot 72 as seen in that figure.

When the shift lever 66 is urged by the alarm and alarm setting gearsfrom the first step of the projection 66, the drowse cam 70 snaps ontothe periphery of a minute wheel 75 forming a conventional part of thetimer timing train and which rotates in the direction of the arrow 76.Although the drowse cam is loosely journalled on the pin 62, the shiftlever 69 remains suspended from the second step of the projection 66because of the engage ment with the cam pin 71 with the edge of the camslot 72. This condition exists until the drowse cam 70 is rotated in acounterclockwise direction by the minute wheel 75 sufiiciently far tocarry the cam pin 71 over the dropotf 73, at which time the shift lever60 is shifted upwardly relative to the drowse cam 70 under the influenceof the spring 64 so that the slot 65 engages the second step of theprojection 66.

The drowse cam 70 holds the shift lever 60 only a slight distance fromthe second step of the projection 66 so that the function lever 30 isswung to its second position by the piri 61 both when the drowse cam 70is being driven by the minute wheel 75 and when the slot 65 comes torest on the second step of projection 66. Thus, during the alarminitiating sequence when the shift lever 60 is successively stepped fromthe first to the second and from the second to the third steps of theprojection 66, the rotation of the drowse cam 70 and the shift of thecam pin 71 over the dropoff 73 is only an idle movement.

Since the drowse function comprises interrupting of the alarm vibrator21 for a short predetermined length of time, that function takes placewhen the function lever is swung to its fully counterclockwise thirdposition with the function shaft 17 rotated so that the arm 52 is alinedwith the dashed line 54.

To initiate a drowse period, that is to suspend sounding of the alarmfor a predetermined interval, the drowse button slide 19 is shiftablymounted on pins 81 fixed to the control plate 28 and is provided with anarm 82 which extends through a slot 83 in the front frame plate 26 tooverlie the function lever 30. A tension spring 84 normally biases theslide 19 upwardly.

Assuming that the function lever 30 is in its third position, that is,its fully counterclockwise position as seen in FIG. 2, it will berecalled that the alarm vibrator 21 is released and sounding and thatthe shift lever 60 has been shifted to its third or uppermost position.The function shaft 17 has of course been rotated to the AUTO- 'ALARMposition so as to permit movement of the function lever into its thirdposition. With the parts so positioned, downward sliding movement of thedrowse button slide 19 causes the arm 82 to rock the function lever 30clockwise so as to latch the controller rod 32, silencing the alarmvibrator 21. and lower the shift lever 60. Downward movement of theshift lever 60 brings the drowse cam 70 into engagement with an abutment(not shown), which lifts the drowse cam relative to the shift lever 60and causes the cam pin 71 to slip over the dropolf 73, whereupon thespring 74 rotates the drowse cam to its illustrated starting position.Manual release of the drowse button slide 19 clears the arm 82 from thefunction lever- 30 and the spring 64 lifts the shift lever 60 and swingsthe function lever '30 in a counterclockwise, direction. However, thedrowse cam 70, now in its starting position, strikes the minute wheel 75so that the function lever 30 is held in its second position, with thealarm vibrator 21 silenced, until the drowse cam times out, whereuponthe function lever is returned to its third position so as to releasethe controller'rod 32 from the latch slot 34 and thus resume sounding ofthe audible alarm. In this way, a quick down and up movement of thedrowse button slide 19 initiates a drowse pen'od determined by the timerequired to rotate the drowse cam 70 until the cam pin 71 falls from thedropolf 73.

For providing a sleep function, a shiftable rack is slidably mounted onthe rear frame plate 27 and provided with a cam surface 91 that isengageable with a pin 92 on the switch control lever 42. The rack 90 isbiased upwardly by a spring 93, only a portion of which is shown, and itcan be seen that downward movement of the rack against the bias of thespring 93 causes the cam surface 91 to engage the pin 92 and rock theswitch control lever 42 in a clockwise direction so as to release theswitch operator 22 and close the timer switch.

The sleep shaft 18 is coupled to the rack 90 by a pinion 95 so thatcounterclockwise rotation of the sleep shaft 18 runs the rack 90downwardly and closes the timer switch. The rack 90 is driven back toits starting illustrated position at a timed rate by a constantlyrotated ratchet wheel 96 that is mounted on a shaft 97 which is drivenat a constant rate from the timing train of the timer. The rack 90carries a biased pawl 98 which engages the ratchet wheel 96 upondownward shifting movement of the rack 90. The shaft 97, and thus ofcourse the ratchet wheel 96, rotate constantly in a clockwise directionso as to return the rack 90' upwardly whenever the pawl 98 is moveddownward into engagement with the wheel 96. During this upward timedmovement of the rack 90 it will be appreciated that the sleep shaft 18is driven in a clockwise direction back to its starting position.

Thus, as seen in FIG. 2, the sleep shaft 13 may be rotated in acounterclockwise setting direction so as to shift the rack 90 downwardlyand close the timer switch. The rack 90 is slowly returnd upwardly bythe ratchet wheel 96 and the sleep shaft 18 is thus driven in aclockwise direction back to its starting position. The timer switchremains closed until the rack 90 returns to the position illustrated andthus the sleep interval depends upon how far the sleep shaft 18 isinitially turned in a setting direction.

The drive to the shaft 97 from the timer timing train is frictional sothat the sleep shaft 18 can be manually rotated in its driven directionat any time, thus accelerating the sleep period and opening the timerswitch whenever the operator desires and without waiting for the ratchetwheel 96 to return the rack 90 to its uppermost starting position.

In summary, it should again be mentioned that for additional details ofany of the above described mechanisms and a more elaborate descriptionof their operation, reference can be had to the application identifiedabove.

In accordance with the present invention, the function shaft 17, sleepshaft 18, and drowse button slide 19 are all selectively controlled by asingle control operator 1%. The operator 190 includes a knob 101 securedto a flat member 102 that is mounted for movement between the frontframe plate 26 and the control plate To couple the operator 1130 withthe function shaft 17, the member 102 is provided with a laterallyextending portion 103 which is pivoted at 104 to a crank arm 105 that issecured to the function lever 17. Thus, sliding movement of the operator106 along a first line rotates the function lever 17 and permitsselective positioning of the arm 52 with its cam driver 51. With theoperator lit-t in the AUTO-ALARM position illustrated in FIG. 1, the arm52 is in alinement with the dashed line 54 shown in FIG. 2. Sliding theoperator to the right in FIG. 1 through the OFF and ON positions to theAUTO position, swings the arm 52, successively, through the angularpositions indicated by the dashed lines 55, 56 and 57.

To connect the operator 100 to the drowse mechanism, the push buttonslide 19, mounted as a plunger on the control plate 28, is provided witha plunger portion over the steps of the projection 66 so as to cause thealarm vibrator 21 to sound the audible alarm, the operator of the timerdepresses the operator knob 101. The

. 8 v teeth 134, 135 so as to divide the total setting range of thesleep shaft 18 into four equal units each corresponding to afifteen-minute sleep interval. Therefore, each time the bar 121 is sliddownwardly by the operator 100 so as to advance the setting and lockingratchets 131, 132 one step, the sleep mechanism is set for afifteen-minute sleep period. Depression of the operator 109 two, threeoperator 1% swings freely about the pivot 1M and the flange 111depresses the plunger portion 110 so that the arm 82 swings the functionlever 30 and initiates the drowse period in the manner described above.

For operating the. sleep shaft 18, a bar 120 is slidably mounted on aplurality of pins 121 fixed to the control plate 28-so that the bar isvertically slidable beneath the operator 10f). The bar 120 carries asetting pawl 122 which is effective to step a ratchet mechanism 125 upondownward sliding movement of the bar 1211 caused by depression of theoperator 100.

I In the preferred embodiment, the bar 120 is generally U-shaped and isbiased upwardly by a tension spring 126 so that the pawl 122 normallyclears the ratchet mechanisms 12-5. The bar 120 is proportioned to liebeneath the operator member 102 in any of the four positions of theoperator. Thus, the operator knob 161 can be depressed at any time so asto slide the bar 120 downwardly against the bias of the spring 126.Downward movement of the bar 120 is limited by engagement of the pawl122 with a stop 127 secured to the control plate 28.

The ratchet mechanism 125 includes a setting ratchet 131 that is securedto the sleep shaft 13 and a locking ratchet 132 that is journalledcoaxially of the sleep shaft 18 on a collar 133 mounted in the frameplate 28 (see FIG. 4). Each of the ratchets 131, 132 is provided withthe same number of equally spaced, but oppositely facing, teeth 134, 135respectively. The setting ratchet 131 is positioned so that its teeth134 face upwardly and underlie a driving tip 136 carried on the settingpawl 122. Thus, downward movement of the pawl 122 causes the tip 136 tostrike the teeth 134 so as to rotate the setting pawl 131 clockwise asseen in FIG. 6, thus carrying the sleep shaft 18 one step in its settingdirection. As indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 6, the setting pawl131, and thus the sleep shaft 18, is rotated the length of one of theteeth 134 by movement of the pawl 122 against the stop 127.

The teeth 135 of the locking ratchet 132 face a locking pawl 137 havinga tab 138. The pawl 137 is slidably mounted on the control plate 28 andis biased by a spring 139 toward the locking ratchet 132. The lockingratchet 132 is urged by a torsion spring'140 in the driven direction ofthe sleep shaft 18 so that its teeth 135 tend to seat against thelocking pawl tab 138.

A one-way connection is provided between the setting ratchet 131 and thelocking ratchet 132 which takes the form of a pin 141 secured to thesetting ratchet 131 and received within an arcuate slot 142 formed inthe locking ratchet 132. Thus, each time the setting ratchet 131 isstepped by the pawl 122, the pin and slot connection 141, 142 alsorotates the locking ratchet 132 a single step in the setting directionso that one of the teeth 135 snap over the locking pawl tab 138 toprevent return movement of the ratchets 131, 132 under the force of thetorsion spring 1419. However, the pin and slot one-way connection 141,142 does permit the sleep shaft'18, and the setting ratchet 131, to bereturned in their driven direction as the rack 91) is driven back to itsstarting position.

In the illustrated embodiment the driving ratchet 96 for the rack 90rotates at a speed that is effective to return the rack from itslowermost set position to its starting position in approximately onehour. This of course provides a maximum sleep period of one hour. Thesetting and locking ratchets 131, 132 are formed with four or four timesadvances the'ratchets 131, 132 to the second, third or fourth steps soas to initiate sleep periods of one half hour, forty-five minutes, orthe full hour interval available. It will be apparent that the number ofratchet teeth 134, which might be provided can be easily varied so as tochange the increments through which the sleep interval can be set.

As an important feature of the invention, provision is made forreleasing the ratchet mechanism 125 and returning the sleep shaft 18 toits neutral or starting position at any time. For this purpose, thelocking pawl 137 is formed with a release arm 150, and a guide 151 iscarried by the setting ratchet 131 that is effective, after the settingratchet 131 has been stepped to its fully set position, to shift thesetting pawl .122 out of 'alinement with the stop 127 and intoengagement with the release arm 150. The engagement of the pawl drivingtip 136 with the release arm 150 shifts the locking pawl 137 against thebias of its spring 138 so as to release the locking ratchet 132 andallow the torsion spring 141) to return the locking ratchet, togetherwith the setting ratchet 131 and the sleep shaft 18, to their initialstarting positions. 2

In the illustrated construction, the guide 151 is formed 'as a segmentpivoted relative to the sleep shaft 18 adjacent the setting ratchet 131.A spring 152 normally holds the guide against a stop pin 153 mounted onthe setting ratchet 131. The guide 151 includes a tooth 154 whichextends over the periphery of the setting pawl 131.

The setting pawl 122 is biased by a spring 156 against a stop 157 formedon the bar 120 and is formed with a guide notch 158 adapted to cooperatewith a pin 159 mounted on the control plate 28.

The operation of the parts just described can be best seen by referenceto FIG. 7 wherein the setting ratchet 131 is shown advanced four stepsto the full setting of the sleep shaft '18. Upon the next downwardmovement of the bar 120, the pawl tip 136 strikes the tooth 154 of theguide 151 and the pawl122 is cammed to the right against the bias of thespring 156 so as to clear the stop 127, note the position shown indashed lines. Further downward movement of the bar 120 causes the pawlnotch 158 to slip over the pin 159 so as to guide the pawl tip 136against the release .arm 150 of the locking pawl 137. This cams the.locking pawl 137 to the left in the drawings so as to release thelocking ratchet 132 and permit the torsion spring to return the ratchets131,

132 and the sleep-shaft 18 to their starting positions.

It can therefore be seen that the sleepshaft 18 may be selectivelypositioned by depressing the operator 100 a desired number of times.Should the user of the timer desire to interrupt the, sleep period atany time during the sleep interval, the operator 100 is simply depressedone more time than is required to fully set the sleep shaft, whereuponthe locking pawl 137 is released and the sleep mechanism returns to itsneutral starting position.

We claim as our invention:

1. A timer comprising, in combination, a frame including a plate, atiming train mounted in said frame, a dial face mounted on said frameover said plate, time indicating hands coupled to said timing train andmounted for movement over said dial face, a posit-ionable function shafton said frame, sleep mechanism driven by'said timing train and includinga rotatable sleep shaft mounted in said train, drowse mechanism drivenbysaid timing train and including a shiftable drowse actuator mounted onsaid frame, anoperator mounted for movement adjacent said frame plate,means coupling said operator and said function shaft so that slidingmovement of the operator along a first line selectively positions thefunction shaft, means coupling said operator and said sleep shaft forrotating said sleep shaft upon sliding movement of the operator parallelto a second line, and means coupling said operator and said drowseactuator when the operator is in one position along said first line,said last named means being effective to shift said actuator when saidoperator is in said one position and moves parallel to said second line.

2. In a timer having a positionable function shaft, a rotatable sleepshaft and a shiftable drowse actuator, the combination comprising, aframe plate, an operator mounted for movement adjacent said frame plate,a crank arm coupling said operator and said function shaft so thatsliding movement of the operator along a first line selectivelypositions the function shaft, a plunger slidably mounted on said frameplate and coupled to said drowse actuator, said operator and saidplunger having interengaging portions which come into alinement when theoperator is in one position along said first line, said interengagingportions, when alined, permitting movement of said operator along asecond line to shift said drowse actuator, a ratchet wheel coupled tosaid sleep shaft, a pawl mounted on said frame plate for cooperationwith said ratchet wheel, and a bar coupled to said pawl for steppingsaid ratchet wheel upon movement of the bar, said bar being positionedadjacent said operator so as to be moved thereby whenever the operatoris moved in the direction of said second line.

3. In a timer having a positionable function shaft, a rotatable sleepshaft and a shiftable drowse actuator, the combination comprising, aframe plate, an operator mounted for movement adjacent said frame plate,means coupling said operator and said function shaft so that slidingmovement of the operator along a first line selectively positions thefunction shaft, a plunger lidably mounted on said frame plate andcoupled to said drowse actuator, said operator and said plunger havinginterengaging portions which come into alinement when the operator is inone position along said first line, said interengaging portions, whenalined, permitting movement of said operator along a second line toshift said drowse actuator, a ratchet wheel coupled to said sleep shaft,a pawl mounted on said frame plate for cooperation with said ratchetwheel, a bar coupled to said pawl for stepping said ratchet wheel uponmovement of the bar, said bar being positioned adjacent said operator soas to be moved thereby whenever the operator is moved in the directionof said second line, and means for returning said sleep shaft to itsstarting position following a predetermined number of movements of saidbar.

4. In a timing device, the combination comprising, a journaled shafthaving a neutral position, a slip drive for rotating said shaft in adriven direction back to said neutral position when said shaft isrotated from the neutral position in a setting direction that isopposite said driven direction, a setting ratchet secured to said shaft,a locking ratchet journaled on said shaft adjacent said setting ratchet,said locking ratchet being biased in said driven direction, a one-wayconnection between said ratchets allowing said setting ratchet to movein said driven direction independently of said locking ratchet, each ofsaid ratchets having a plurality of equally spaced teeth, a biasedlocking pawl engaging the teeth of said locking ratchet, a manuallyshiftable setting pawl positioned adjacent said setting ratchet, a stopin the path of said setting pawl so that shifting of the setting pawlagainst the stop rotates the ratchets in the setting directionsufficiently far to step an additional tooth in the locking ratchet pastsaid locking pawl, and means for selectively releasing said locking 10pawl so that the biased locking pawl over-rides said slip drive andreturns the shaft to neutral position.

5. In a timing device, the combination comprising, a journaled shafthaving a neutral position, a slip drive for rotating said shaft in adriven direction back to said neutral position when said shaft isrotated from the neutral position in a setting direction that isopposite said driven direction, a ratchet mechanism for successivelystepping said shaft in said setting direction past a biased lockingpawl, a manually shiftable setting pawl for driving said ratchetmechanism, a release arm connected to said locking pawl, and a guidepositioned by said ratchet mechanism for shifting said setting pawl intoalinement with said release arm after the ratchet mechanism has beenstepped a predetermined number of times, whereby successive movements ofthe setting pawl angularly teps said shaft until said guide causes thepawl to engage said release arm and release said locking pawl.

6. In a timing device, the combination comprising, a

journaled shaft having a neutral position, a slip drive for rotatingsaid shaft in a driven direction back to said neutral position when saidshaft is rotated from the neutral position in a setting direction thatis opposite said driven direct-ion, a setting ratchet ecured to saidshaft, a locking ratchet journaled on said shaft adjacent said settingratchet, said locking ratchet being biased in said driven direction, aone-way connection between said ratchets allowing said setting ratchetto move in said driven direction independently of said locking ratchet,each of said ratchets having a plurality of equally spaced teeth, abiased locking pawl engaging the teeth of said locking ratchet, amanually shiftable setting pawl positioned adjacent said settingratchet, a stop in the path of said setting pawl so that shifting of thesetting pawl against the stop rotates the ratchets in the settingdirection sufficiently far to step an additional tooth in the lockingratchet past said locking pawl, a release arm connected to said lock-ingpawl, and a guide carried by said setting ratchet for shifting saidsetting pawl out of alinement with said stop and into alinement withsaid release arm after the setting ratchet has been stepped apredetermined number of times, whereby successive movements of thesetting pawl angularly steps said shaft until said guide causes the pawlto engage said release arm and release said locking pawl so that thebiased locking ratchet overrides said slip drive and returns the shaftto neutral position.

i 7. A timer comprising, in combination, a frame, a timing train mountedin said frame, a dial face mounted on said frame, time indicating handscoupled to said timing train and mounted for movement over said dialface, a positionable function shaft on said frame, sleep mechanismdriven by said timing train including a rotatable sleep shaft mounted insaid frame, drowse mechanism driven by said timing train and including ashiftable drowse actuator mounted in said frame, and a single manuallypositionable operator on said frame for selectably manipulating saidshafts and said actuator.

References Cited by the Examiner OTHER REFERENCES Publication: Form No.41C 20-279, Chicago, 47, Illinois, U.S.A., May, 1959 DON A. WAITE,Primary Examiner. BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Examiner.

Admiral Corp,

7. A TIMER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME, A TIMING TRAIN MOUNTEDIN SAID FRAME, A DIAL FACE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, TIME INDICATING HANDSCOUPLED TO SAID TIMING TRAIN AND MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT OVER SAID DIALFACE, A POSITIONABLE FUNCTION SHAFT ON SAID FRAME, SLEEP MECHANISMDRIVEN BY SAID TIMING TRAIN INCLUDING A ROTATABLE SLEEP SHAFT MOUNTED INSAID FRAME, DROWSE MECHANISM DRIVEN BY SAID TIMING TRAIN AND INCLUDING ASHIFTABLE DROWSE ACTUATOR MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME, AND A SINGLE MANUALLYPOSITIONABLE OPERATOR ON SAID FRAME FOR SELECTABLY MANIPULATING SAIDSHAFTS AND SAID ACTUATOR.